Display liner for baskets



Jam, w, 1939. w. SCHWARZ DISPLAY LINER FOR BASKETS Filed May 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l i/7// MW Jan. 10, 1939. w. SCHWARZ DISPLAY LINER FOR BASKETS 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 17 Wan-s2 Smwnzl might exude from the goods orproduce.

Patented Jan. I0, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to display liners for positioning inside of open baskets, boxes or-the like, and upon and within which fruits, vegetables or other perishable goods are deposited and there displayed openly for sale.

t is a common practice amongst shippers and retailers to place liners of various kinds within the baskets or boxes in which fruits and vegetables and the like are shipped or later displayed for sale. This is done by the shipper for the purpose of protecting the goods against bruising that might result from jars and shocks in rough handling of the containers, and also for the purpose of partially absorbing any moisture that The practice is also favored by the retailer because of the added attractiveness a neat liner affords for the display of fruits and vegetables.

It is the main object of the present invention therefore to provide an adjustable display liner of the kind referred to, which will serve not only the purposes stated, but which is also adjustable in respect of the spacing of its bottom portion from the bottom of the container in such manner that as the produce or goods are gradually sold out of the container by the retailer, the liner may be correspondingly elevated, or raised towards the top of the container, thereby simulating the appearance of a filled container instead of a partially depleted one, it being a well known fact that customers prefer to select their goods from a filled and therefore presumably fresh container, rather than from a depleted container of presumably relatively stale goods. Another object is to provide a liner of the character specified, the same being made of any suitably flexible or pliable material, such as coarse cloth of any kind, or strong and tough paper, the same being provided with a plurality of radially extended wings or flaps adapted to extend up over the rim of the container and be there secured by means of adjustable locks, whereby the bottom portion of the liner or in other Words the entire-liner may be raised or elevated as occasion may require for the purpose of raising the contents of the container towards the top thereof in simulation of full or fresh container of goods.

With the foregoing and such other objects and advantages in view as may appear from the following specification, attention is now directed to the accompanying drawings constituting part of the specification, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container in the form of a round basket, there being shown mounted therein an adjustable display liner made in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a liner as made in I accordance with this invention, sections of two opposite flaps being broken out, and a section of the inner fold or lap of the bottom portion being cut owt to show the pad incorporated between the two laps of the material forming the bottom portion, in this embodiment of the device.

Figure 4 is a plan View similar to that of Figure 3, except that the bottom is circular and formed separately from the flaps, the latter being separately sewed in place and radially extended as shown. In the embodiment of the invention represented in Figures 1 to 3 the liner l is made up of a pair of equal strips 2 of the selected pliable material, whether cloth or paper or any other suitable material. These strips are crossed exactly at their centers in perpendicular manner, as clearly show in Figure 3, and the margins of the crossings are then sewed together as represented at 3, thereby providing a double rectangular bottom portion 4, and four radially extended flaps 5.

If desired, the double bottom 4 may be additionally padded by the insertion of a pliable pad 5 between the two central, overlying portions of the strips 2. which form the double bottom, as stated. This structure affords added protection for the contents of the container against jars and shocks in handling.

Flexible locking strips '1 of any suitable material such as toughcard-bcard, metal or plyboard, are provided and secured transversely a"; the outer ends of the flaps 5. This may be done in any conventional manner, as by sewing the strips within folds 8 formed at the ends of the strips and sewed down as represented by the seams 9. These locking strips 1 are provided at their extended outer ends with transversely formed lock notches Ill, which extend approximately half way through the stock and which are designed for inter-engagement in the operation of the device, as will be pointed out.

In the use and operation of the adjustable liner as thus described, the same is positioned evenly within the basket or container II, and the ends of the flaps 5 are drawn'out over the rim l2 of the basket, these ends being then turned down outwardly over the rim. The extended, notched ends of the locking strips 1 are then drawn or bent together and the notches of the adjacent ends are interlocked, in a dovetailed relation, as shown in Figure 1, thus efiectually securing the liner in any adjusted position. As the contents of the basket are sold out, or otherwise disposed of, the strips I are unlocked at their ends by disengaging their notches, and the outer ends of the flaps 5 are then rolled or wound up onto the locking strips to the extent required for raising the bottom 4 of the liner with its load of produce, to the desired height above the bottom 13 of the basket, in order to bring the contents to an approximate level with the rim of the basket, after which the ends of the locking strips are again interlocked in the manner described. Thus this adjustable display liner serves to sustain the contents of the basket upwardly towards the top thereof, in semblance of a freshly opened basket of produce.

In the modification shown in Figure 4, the bottom portion 4a is cut out separately in circular or other desired form, and the flaps 5a are then sewed radially therearound as indicated at 3a. Otherwise the structure and use of this form is exactly similar to the first described form, the same form of locking strips being also employed.

It is obvious that if desired, five or more of the flaps 5 may be easily provided for, in lieu of the four here shown. In the form of Figure 4, this could be accomplished by sewing five or more flaps to the bottom portion, and extending same equally in a radial manner. In the form shown in Figures 1 to 3, and in lieu of the two overlying strips shown, three narrower strips could be used and crossed centrally in an overlying radial relation, thus providing six flaps instead of four.

It is also obvious that while the device is here shown as mounted upon an open and round basket, it may with equal facility be used upon any other form of open container, such as a square box or the like, and while I have herein shown and described certain embodiments of my invention and certain structural features thereof, it is understood that I may vary same in minor details, so as best to provide a practicable and commercial article of the kind referred to, not departing however from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable liner for a container, comprising a bottom portion for positioning centrally within the container, and a plurality of flexible flaps extended out from the bottom portion, and means independent of the container for releasably securing the flaps at their outer ends at the outer sides of the container adjacent the rim.

2. An adjustable liner for a container, comprising a bottom portion for positioning within the container, and a plurality of pliable flaps connected to and extended radially from the bottom portion, and means independent of the container for adjustably securing the flaps at their outer ends to the outer sides of the container adjacent the rim.

3. An adjustable liner for a container, comprising a bottom portion, a plurality of flexible flaps extended radially from the bottom portion, and locking means at the outer ends of the flaps and adapted for interlocking with each other independently of the rim of the container, whereby with the bottom portion located within the container, the locking means at the ends of the flaps may be operated over the rim of the container for sustaining the liner in any adjusted position upon the container.

4. In a device of the kind described, a bottom portion, flaps extended at opposite sides of the bottom portion, and releasable locking means at the outer ends of the flaps for locking the flaps over the rim of the container independently of said rim.

5. In a device of the kind described, a bottom portion for positioning within a container, flexible flaps extendedfrom opposite margins of the bottom portion and adapted for turning down at the outer sides of the rim of the container, means for taking up the flaps at their outer ends as turned down at the outer sides of the container said means including means for releasably interlocking the same in any adjusted position independently of the rim of the container.

6. In a flexible liner for a container, the liner including a bottom portion and a plurality of flexible flaps extended radially therefrom for positioning up over the rim of the container, locking strips mounted transversely at the free ends of the flaps and whereon excess length of the flaps may be wound up for the purpose of raising the bottom portion of the liner within the container, and means on the locking strips for locking them at their ends one to the other against the unwinding of said flaps.

7. In a flexible liner for an open container, the liner including a bottom portion and a plurality of flexible flaps extended from opposite sides thereof and adapted for positioning up at the rim of the container, means at the free ends of the flaps for taking up excess length thereof for the purpose of raising the bottom portion of the liner Within the container, and means disposable outwardly of the rim of the container and independently thereof for locking the taking up means in any set position against the releasing of the flaps.

8. In a liner for an open container, the liner including a bottom portion and a plurality of flexible flaps extended at opposite margins thereof and adapted for positioning up over the rim of the container,--strips mounted transversely of the free ends of the flaps, and locking means at the ends of the strips for locking together the adjacent ends of the strips independently of the rim.

9. In a liner for an open container, the liner including a bottom portion and a plurality of flexible flaps arranged for positioning up over the rim of the container, strips mounted transversely at the free ends of the flaps as means for winding up excess length of the flaps for the purpose of elevating the bottom portion of the liner, the ends of the strips being notched transversely of their length, whereby these notched ends may be interlocked outwardly over the rim of the container for preventing the unwinding of the flaps.

WALTER SCHWARZ. 

